Temperature controlled heat transfer frame for pellicle

ABSTRACT

An exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern from a reticle to a workpiece, a pellicle being positioned near the reticle, includes a heat transfer frame, an illuminator, and a temperature controller. The heat transfer frame is configured to be positioned near the pellicle, the heat transfer frame defining a beam aperture. The illuminator directs a beam through the beam aperture and the pellicle at the reticle. The temperature controller controls the temperature of the heat transfer frame to control the temperature of the pellicle. The illuminator can direct the beam from a beam source, such as an EUV beam source. Additionally, the temperature controller can cryogenically cool the heat transfer frame.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation application of on U.S. applicationSer. No. 15/923,283, filed on Mar. 16, 2018, and entitled “TEMPERATURECONTROLLED HEAT TRANSFER FRAME FOR PELLICLE”. U.S. application Ser. No.15/923,283 claims priority on U.S. Application Ser. No. 62/476,476,filed on Mar. 24, 2017, and entitled “TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED HEATTRANSFER FRAME FOR PELLICLE”. As far as permitted, the contents of U.S.application Ser. No. 15/923,283 and U.S. Application Ser. No. 62/476,476are incorporated in their entirety herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) is being developed for highvolume manufacturing of semiconductor wafers. Unfortunately, existingEUVL systems are not entirely satisfactory.

SUMMARY

The present embodiments are directed toward an exposure apparatus fortransferring a pattern from a reticle to a workpiece, a pellicle beingpositioned near the reticle. In various embodiments, the exposureapparatus includes a heat transfer frame, an illuminator, and atemperature controller. The heat transfer frame is configured to bepositioned near the pellicle, the heat transfer frame defining a beamaperture. The illuminator directs a beam through the beam aperture andthe pellicle at the reticle. The temperature controller controls thetemperature of the heat transfer frame to control the temperature of thepellicle. In some embodiments, the illuminator directs the beam from abeam source. The beam source can be an EUV beam source. Additionally, incertain embodiments, the temperature controller cryogenically cools theheat transfer frame.

With this design, in certain embodiments, the problem of removing heatfrom a pellicle in an Extreme Ultra Violet Lithography (EUVL) system issolved by adding a cooled heat transfer frame so that the heat build-upin the pellicle is removed by thermal radiation. In certain embodiments,the heat transfer frame is cryogenically cooled. Alternatively, the heattransfer frame can be cooled in a different manner, i.e. other thancryogenically.

In other applications, embodiments are directed toward an exposureapparatus for transferring a pattern from a reticle to a workpiece, apellicle being positioned near the reticle, the exposure apparatusincluding a heat transfer frame that is configured to be positioned nearthe pellicle and spaced apart a gap from the pellicle; an illuminatorthat directs a beam through the pellicle at the reticle; and atemperature controller that releases a transfer fluid into the gapbetween the heat transfer frame and pellicle to form a conductive heatpath between the heat transfer frame and the pellicle.

In still other applications, embodiments are directed toward a methodfor transferring a pattern from a reticle to a workpiece, including thesteps of positioning a pellicle near the reticle; positioning a heattransfer frame near the pellicle, the heat transfer frame defining abeam aperture; directing a beam through the beam aperture and thepellicle at the reticle with an illuminator; and controlling atemperature of the heat transfer plate with a temperature controller soas to control a temperature of the pellicle.

In yet other applications, embodiments are directed toward a method fortransferring a pattern from a reticle to a workpiece, including thesteps of positioning a pellicle near the reticle; positioning a heattransfer frame near the pellicle and spaced apart a gap from thepellicle; directing a beam through the pellicle at the reticle with anilluminator; and releasing a transfer fluid into the gap between theheat transfer frame and pellicle with a temperature controller to form aconductive heat path between the heat transfer frame and the pellicle.

The present embodiments are also directed toward a method forcontrolling the temperature of a pellicle, and a method for making asemiconductor wafer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The novel features of these embodiments, as well as the inventionitself, both as to its structure and its operation, will be bestunderstood from the accompanying drawings, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying description, in which similar reference characters refer tosimilar parts, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a simplified cut-away view of a reticle, a pellicle, and aheat transfer frame, a temperature controller and a control systemhaving features of the present embodiments;

FIG. 2 is a simplified, top perspective view of the heat transfer frameillustrated in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3A and 3B alternatively illustrate pellicle temperature versusradiated power;

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of an exposure apparatus havingfeatures of the present embodiments;

FIG. 5 is a simplified cut-away view of the reticle and the pellicle,and another embodiment of the heat transfer frame, the temperaturecontroller, and the control system;

FIG. 6 is a simplified, top perspective view of the heat transfer frameillustrated in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a simplified, top perspective view of another embodiment ofthe heat transfer frame.

DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present invention are described herein in the contextof a temperature-controlled heat transfer frame for transferring heatfrom a pellicle that is positioned near a reticle. Those of ordinaryskill in the art will realize that the following detailed description ofthe present invention is illustrative only and is not intended to be inany way limiting. Other embodiments of the present invention willreadily suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit ofthis disclosure. Reference will now be made in detail to implementationsof the present invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the interest of clarity, not all of the routine features of theimplementations described herein are shown and described. It will, ofcourse, be appreciated that in the development of any such actualimplementation, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be madein order to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as compliancewith application-related and business-related constraints, and thatthese specific goals will vary from one implementation to another andfrom one developer to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated thatsuch a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but wouldnevertheless be a routine undertaking of engineering for those ofordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a simplified cut-away view of a reticle 10, a pellicle 12, anda heat transfer frame 14, a temperature controller 16 and a controlsystem 18 having features of the present embodiments. FIG. 1 alsoillustrates a beam 22 passing through the heat transfer frame 14 and thepellicle 12 that is directed at the reticle 10, and being reflected offof the reticle 10 and passing through the pellicle 12 and the heattransfer frame 14.

As an overview, in certain embodiments, the components of FIG. 1 can beused as part of a lithography system, for transferring one or morepatterns from the reticle 10 to a workpiece. With this design, the heattransfer frame 14 can be used to control the temperature of the pellicle12. For example, the lithography system can be an Extreme Ultra VioletLithography (EUVL) system. With this design, the problem of removingheat from a pellicle 12 in an Extreme Ultra Violet Lithography (EUVL)system is solved by adding a temperature-controlled heat transfer frame14 so that the heat build-up in the pellicle 12 is removed by thermalradiation (radiative cooling).

The reticle 10 includes one or more patterns that are to be transferredto the workpiece (e.g. a semiconductor wafer). As a non-exclusiveexample, the patterns can include a plurality of densely packed lines.In certain embodiments, the reticle 10 (and the pellicle 12) are movedback and forth during the transfer of the patterns from the reticle 10to the workpiece. In certain, non-exclusive embodiments, the reticle 10is generally rectangular-shaped. The reticle 10 can also be referred toas a mask. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the one or morepatterns are formed in the bottom of the reticle 10.

The pellicle 12 inhibits dust and debris from reaching the patterns onthe reticle 10. This will improve the accuracy of the patternstransferred to the workpiece and reduce the number of defects in theworkpiece. In one, non-exclusive embodiment, the pellicle 12 is arelatively thin, rectangular, planar-shaped material that is positionednear the reticle 10. As non-exclusive examples, the pellicle 12 can havea thickness of less than approximately 0.07, 0.08, 0.09, 0.1, 0.11,0.12, 0.13, or 0.15 microns.

Further, the pellicle 12 can be made of a material that is substantiallytransparent to the wavelength of the beam 22 because the beam 22 passesthrough the material of the pellicle 12. Unfortunately, materials usedfor these pellicles 12 are not perfectly transparent, they absorb EUVenergy (e.g. from an EUV beam 22) and become heated. In order to reducethe amount of photons absorbed, the pellicles must be made extremelythin—generally less than 1 um thick. While this does reduce the energyabsorbed, it also reduces the cross section through which the heat mustconduct in order to escape. As a result, in certain designs, without theuse of the heat transfer frame 14 provided herein, the temperature inthe pellicle 12 can increase until equilibrium is restored and thattemperature can be in excess of one hundred degrees Celsius (100° C.).As illustrated in FIG. 1, the beam 22 passes through the pellicle 12twice and in doing so heats the pellicle 12. Because of the thin natureof the pellicle 12, the heat conduction path is poor and, as a result,the temperature in the pellicle 12 can increase to over one hundreddegrees Celsius (100° C.) without cooling.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the pellicle 12 is secured toreticle 10 with a pellicle holder 24 (e.g. a rectangular frame) thatfixedly secures the pellicle 12 to the reticle 10 so that the reticle 12and the pellicle 12 move concurrently. For example, the pellicle holder24 can maintain the pellicle 12 spaced apart from the reticle 10 at afixed, reticle/pellicle separation distance 26. In alternative,non-exclusive examples, the reticle/pellicle separation distance 26 canbe less than approximately five, six, seven, nine or ten millimeters.

The heat transfer frame 14 is used to transfer heat from the pellicle 12and maintain the temperature of the pellicle 12. For example, in certainembodiments, the heat transfer frame 14 can enhance radiational coolingof the pellicle 12. The design and shape of the heat transfer frame 14can vary. For example, the heat transfer frame 14 can be generallyrectangular plate-shaped and can include a beam aperture 28 that allowsthe beam 22 to pass through the heat transfer frame 14 without passingthrough the material of the heat transfer frame 14. This allows the heattransfer frame 14 to be made of a material that is not transparent tothe beam 22 and the heat transfer frame 14 will not be directly heatedby the beam 22. The size of the beam aperture 28 can be varied accordingto the design of the lithography system with which the heat transferframe 14 is being used. In certain embodiments, the beam aperture 28 islarge enough so that the incident and reflected beam 22 do not impingeupon the heat transfer frame 14, but also small enough so the heattransfer frame 14 provides good cooling of the pellicle 12. In onenon-exclusive embodiment, the beam aperture 28 is a tapered,rectangular-shaped opening (narrower at the top) in the heat transferframe 14. As a non-exclusive example, the beam aperture 28 can have arectangular shape that is approximately sixteen (16) millimeters by onehundred thirty (130) millimeters. Alternatively, in other non-exclusiveembodiments, the beam aperture 28 can be arc-shaped or polygonal-shaped.

Still alternatively, the heat transfer frame 14 can include one or moreslit blades (not shown) that are positioned near the pellicle 12.

In certain, non-exclusive embodiments, the heat transfer frame 14 isfixedly secured so that the reticle 10 and the pellicle 12 are movedrelative to the stationary heat transfer frame 14. Further, the heattransfer frame 14 is maintained a gap 29 that is a frame/pellicleseparation distance 30 from the pellicle 12. In alternative,non-exclusive examples, the frame/pellicle separation distance 30 can beless than approximately one, two, three, four or five millimeters.

In certain embodiments, the frame/pellicle separation distance 30 isless than the reticle/pellicle separation distance 26. In alternative,non-exclusive embodiments, the frame/pellicle separation distance 30 isapproximately ten percent (10%), twenty percent (20%), thirty percent(30%), forty percent (40%) or fifty percent (50%) less than thereticle/pellicle separation distance 26.

In one, non-exclusive embodiment, the heat transfer frame 14 includesone or more circulation passageways 32 (illustrated in phantom) thatallow for cooling and/or heating of the heat transfer frame 14 tocontrol the temperature of the heat transfer frame 14 and the pellicle12.

The temperature controller 16 controls the temperature of the heattransfer frame 14 to control the temperature of the pellicle 12. Forexample, the temperature controller 16 can circulate a circulation fluid34 (illustrated as small circles) through the one or more circulationpassageways 32 of the heat transfer frame 14. The temperature controller16 can include a circulation system 16A having one or more fluid pumps,reservoirs, chillers, and/or heaters that are in fluid communicationwith the circulation passageways 32 for circulating the circulationfluid 34. In one embodiment, the temperature controller 16 can circulatethe circulation fluid 34 through the heat transfer frame 14 in a closedloop fashion. Additionally, or alternatively, the temperature controller16 can cryogenically cool the heat transfer frame 14. Stillalternatively, the temperature controller 16 can cool the heat transferframe 14 other than cryogenically.

Additionally, the temperature controller 16 can include one or moretemperature sensors 36 (only one is illustrated) positioned on or in theheat transfer frame 14 or the pellicle 12 for feedback regarding thetemperature for closed loop, temperature control of the heat transferframe 14 and/or the pellicle 12.

The control system 18 can control the various components of the system.For example, the control system 18 can include one or more processorsand storage devices.

With the present design, the heat transfer frame 14 is fixed relative tothe exposure beam 22 and can cool different portions of the pellicle 12as the reticle 10 and pellicle 12 are moved back and forth duringexposure. The heat transfer frame 14 is cooled to remove the heat fromthe pellicle 12 by radiation. In certain embodiments, because of thelarge amount of heat that must be removed, and because of the pooremissivity of the pellicle 12, the heat transfer frame 14 must be verycold. As non-exclusive examples, the temperature controller 16 cancontrol the heat transfer frame 14 to be at least fifty (50), onehundred (100), one hundred fifty (150), two hundred (200), or twohundred fifty (250) degrees Celsius lower than a desired temperature ofthe pellicle 12. Stated in another fashion, in alternative,non-exclusive embodiments, the temperature controller 16 can control thetemperature of the heat transfer frame 14 to be at most 0, −50, −100,−150, or −196 degrees Celsius.

As EUV technology continues to develop, the illumination power absorbedby the pellicle 12 will likely increase and so cryogenic temperatures ofthe heat transfer frame 14 may be necessary in order to remove all theheat.

With the present design, the heat transfer frame 14 can remove heat fromthe pellicle 12 without contact and can be easily be scaled for futureillumination powers. It also removes heat uniformly from the pelliclesurface and is not constrained by the extremely small cross-section ofthe pellicle 12 itself.

FIG. 2 is a simplified, top perspective view of the heat transfer frame14 illustrated in FIG. 1 including the beam aperture 28. It should benoted that the heat transfer frame 14 can include a high emissivitycoating 14A (illustrated with a dashed lines) to increase the heattransfer from the pellicle 12 to the heat transfer frame 14. As anon-exclusive example, the high emissivity coating 14A can have anemissivity of at least approximately 0.9.

FIG. 3A is a graph that illustrates pellicle temperature versus radiatedpower for a case with no direct cooling of the pellicle. In this case,it is assumed that the power coming from the source is 100 W and thereare four reflections before the reticle. In this particular example, theabsorbed power of the pellicle is ˜2.83 W (using an absorbance value of0.1), although it is appreciated that in order for equilibrium to beachieved, the radiated power should equal the absorbed power. In thiscase, the heat in the pellicle radiates to the surroundings of thesystem assumed to be at 20° C. Additionally, the emittance of thepellicle is assumed to be 0.2.

FIG. 3B is a graph that illustrates pellicle temperature versus radiatedpower for a case for cooling of the pellicle with the heat transferframe. In FIG. 3B, (i) for line 301, the heat transfer frame wasmaintained at 20° C.; (ii) for line 302 the heat transfer frame wasmaintained at 0° C.; and (iii) for line 303, the heat transfer frame wasmaintained at 77K (liquid nitrogen temperature). With reference to FIG.3B, the heat transfer frame acting as a heat sink significantly reducesthe pellicle temperature. Further, cooling of the heat transfer frame tocryogenic temperatures can reduce the pellicle temperature from >100° C.to 50° C.

FIG. 4 is a simplified, schematic view illustrating an exposureapparatus 400 (e.g. an EUVL) useful with the present embodiments. Theexposure apparatus 400 can include (i) an illuminator 440 that directsthe beam 22 (e.g. that is generated by a beam source 441 such as an EUVbeam source) at the reticle 10; (ii) a reticle stage 442 that retainsthe reticle 10 and the pellicle 12; (iii) a reticle mover 444 that movesthe reticle stage 442, the reticle 10 and the pellicle 12 relative tothe beam 22; (iv) an optical assembly 446 that focuses the beam 22reflected off of the reticle 10 onto a workpiece 448 (e.g. asemiconductor wafer); (v) a workpiece stage 450 that retains theworkpiece 448; (vi) a workpiece mover 452 that moves the workpiece stage450 and the workpiece 448 relative to the beam; (vii) the heat transferframe 14; (viii) the temperature controller 16; and (ix) the controlsystem 18. In certain embodiments, many of the components are positionedin a vacuum or other controlled environment.

The exposure apparatus 400 is particularly useful as a lithographicdevice that transfers a pattern (not shown) of an integrated circuitfrom the reticle 10 onto the semiconductor wafer 448.

Depending upon the design of the exposure apparatus 400, the opticalassembly 446 can magnify or reduce the image illuminated on the reticle.

FIG. 5 is a simplified cut-away view of the reticle 10 and the pellicle12, and another embodiment of the heat transfer frame 514, thetemperature controller 516, and the control system 518. FIG. 5 alsoillustrates the beam 22 passing through the heat transfer frame 514 andthe pellicle 12 that is directed at the reticle 10, and being reflectedoff of the reticle 10 and passing through the pellicle 12 and heattransfer frame 514. In FIG. 5, the reticle 10 and the pellicle 12 can besimilar to the corresponding components described above and illustratedin FIG. 1.

As an overview, in certain embodiments, the components of FIG. 5 can beused as part of a lithography system (e.g. the exposure apparatus 400 ofFIG. 4), for transferring one or more patterns from the reticle 10 to aworkpiece 448 (illustrated in FIG. 4). With this design, the heattransfer frame 514 can be used to control the temperature of thepellicle 12. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, conductive heattransfer can be used to control the temperature of the pellicle 12. Forexample, the lithography system can be an EUVL system. With this design,the problem of removing heat from a pellicle 12 in a vacuum environmentis solved by adding a heat transfer frame 514 and releasing a transferfluid 560 (illustrated as small squares) into a gap 529 between thepellicle 12 and the transfer frame 514 so that the heat build-up in thepellicle 12 is removed by conductive heat transfer.

The heat transfer frame 514 is used to transfer heat from the pellicle12 and maintain the temperature of the pellicle 12. The design and shapeof the heat transfer frame 514 can vary. For example, the heat transferframe 514 can be generally rectangular plate-shaped and can include abeam aperture 528 somewhat similar to the design illustrated in FIG. 1and described above.

In certain, non-exclusive embodiments, the reticle 10 and the pellicle12 are moved relative to the stationary heat transfer frame 514.Further, the heat transfer frame 14 is maintained the gap 529 (e.g. aframe/pellicle separation distance 530) from the pellicle 12. Inalternative, non-exclusive examples, the frame/pellicle separationdistance 530 can be less than approximately 100, 200, 300, 400 or 500microns. Additionally or in the alternative, the size of the gap 529,e.g. the frame/pellicle separation distance 530, can be different onopposite sides of the pellicle 12. In certain embodiments, the transferfluid 560 may be more likely to flow to one side versus the other, e.g.,to the left and not to the right. Thus, to reduce undesired flow intothe exposure gap, in one non-exclusive embodiment, the gap 529 at theright can be −100 microns, while the gap 529 at the left could be 500microns.

In one, non-exclusive embodiment, the heat transfer frame 514 includesone or more transfer passageways 562 that allow for the release of thetransfer fluid 560 into the gap 529 to create the conductive heat pathbetween the heat transfer frame 514 and the pellicle 12. With thisdesign, the transfer fluid 560 allows for the heat transfer frame 14 toremove heat from and/or control the temperature of the pellicle 12.

In one embodiment, one or more transfer passageways 562 can include oneor more outlets 564 that can face the pellicle 12 and that can releasethe transfer fluid 560 into the gap 529 between the heat transfer frame514 and the pellicle 12. As a non-exclusive example, the transfer fluid560 can be an inert gas, such as helium.

Additionally, in one embodiment, the heat transfer frame 514 may have atleast one inlet (not shown) which collects (or absorbs, or sucks, orattracts) the transfer fluid 560 and which is defined around the beamaperture 528. For example, the inlet may be defined at a rim (or theperiphery) of the beam aperture 528.

With this design, the temperature controller 516 can be used to controlthe temperature of the pellicle 12 and the temperature of the heattransfer frame 514. For example, the temperature controller 516 candirect the transfer fluid 560 through the one or more transferpassageways 562 and out the outlets 564 to control the temperature ofthe pellicle 12 and/or the heat transfer frame 514. In this embodiment,the temperature controller 516 can include a transfer system 566 havingone or more fluid pumps, reservoirs, chillers, and/or heaters that arein fluid communication with the transfer passageway(s) for directing thetransfer fluid 560 into the transfer passageways 562 and into the gap529 and control the flow rate into the gap 529.

Additionally and optionally, the temperature controller 516 cancirculate a circulation fluid 534 (illustrated as small circles) throughthe one or more circulation passageways 532 of the heat transfer frame514. In this embodiment, the temperature controller 516 can include acirculation system 516A having one or more fluid pumps, reservoirs,chillers, and/or heaters that are in fluid communication with thecirculation passageway(s) 532 for circulating the circulation fluid 534.In one embodiment, the temperature controller 516 can circulate thecirculation fluid 534 through the heat transfer frame 514 in a closedloop fashion.

Moreover, the temperature controller 516 can include one or moretemperature sensors 536 (only one is illustrated) positioned on or inthe heat transfer frame 514 or the pellicle 12 for feedback regardingthe temperature for closed loop, temperature control of the heattransfer frame 514 and/or the pellicle 12.

The control system 518 can control the various components of the system.For example, the control system 518 can include one or more processorsand storage devices.

With the present design, the heat transfer frame 514 is fixed relativeto the exposure beam 22 and can cool different portions of the pellicle12 as the reticle 10 and pellicle 12 are moved back and forth duringexposure.

FIG. 6 is a simplified, top perspective view of the heat transfer frame514 illustrated in FIG. 5 including the beam aperture 528 and theplurality of spaced apart outlets 564 in the side of the transfer frame514 that faces the pellicle 12 (illustrated in FIG. 5). It should benoted that the heat transfer frame 514 can include a high emissivitycoating 514A (illustrated with a dashed lines) to increase the heattransfer from the pellicle 12 to the heat transfer frame 514.

In another embodiment, the heat transfer frame may be divided intomultiple, i.e. at least two, frame members, such as shown in FIG. 7.More specifically, FIG. 7 is a simplified, top perspective view of theheat transfer frames 714A, 714B that are used in lieu of a single heattransfer frame as in the previous embodiments. These heat transferframes 714A, 7148 define a beam aperture 728 therebetween. The heattransfer frames 714A, 714B have outlets 764 in the side of the transferframes 714A, 714B that faces the pellicle (not shown). Additionally, theheat transfer frames 714A, 7148 also include inlets 765 which areconnected to a vacuum source, for example, a vacuum pump. The inlets 765may increase the degree of vacuum of the atmosphere around the exposurebeam path.

In some alternative embodiments, the outlets need not be provided withinthe heat transfer frame. For example, in such embodiments, the outletsmay be provided between the heat transfer frame and the pellicle at theside of a space between the heat transfer frame and the pellicle.

As described above, a photolithography system according to the abovedescribed embodiments can be built by assembling various subsystems,including each element listed in the appended claims, in such a mannerthat prescribed mechanical accuracy, electrical accuracy, and opticalaccuracy are maintained. In order to maintain the various accuracies,prior to and following assembly, every optical system is adjusted toachieve its optical accuracy. Similarly, every mechanical system andevery electrical system are adjusted to achieve their respectivemechanical and electrical accuracies. The process of assembling eachsubsystem into a photolithography system includes mechanical interfaces,electrical circuit wiring connections and air pressure plumbingconnections between each subsystem. Needless to say, there is also aprocess where each subsystem is assembled prior to assembling aphotolithography system from the various subsystems. Once aphotolithography system is assembled using the various subsystems, atotal adjustment is performed to make sure that accuracy is maintainedin the complete photolithography system. Additionally, it is desirableto manufacture an exposure system in a clean room where the temperatureand cleanliness are controlled.

It is understood that although a number of different embodiments of theheat transfer frame 14 and the temperature controller 16 have beenillustrated and described herein, one or more features of any oneembodiment can be combined with one or more features of one or more ofthe other embodiments, provided that such combination satisfies theintent of the present invention.

While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments of a heat transferframe 14 and a temperature controller 16 have been discussed above,those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications,permutations, additions and sub-combinations thereof. It is thereforeintended that the following appended claims and claims hereafterintroduced are interpreted to include all such modifications,permutations, additions and sub-combinations as are within their truespirit and scope.

1-20. (canceled)
 21. An exposure apparatus for transferring a patternfrom a pattern surface of a reticle to a workpiece, a pellicle beingspaced apart from the pattern surface of the reticle, the exposureapparatus comprising: a reticle stage which holds the reticle and whichmoves the reticle and the pellicle along a scan direction; an opticalassembly configured to project an image of the pattern of the reticle; aheat transfer frame which is configured to be positioned adjacent to thepellicle with a gap between the pellicle and the heat transfer frame,the heat transfer frame removing heat from the pellicle via the gap; anilluminator configured to direct an EUV radiation through the pellicle;a temperature controller that controls a temperature of the heattransfer frame.
 22. The exposure apparatus of claim 21, wherein the heattransfer frame defines a beam aperture where the EUV radiation from theilluminator passes through, and a reflected EUV radiation from thepattern surface of the reticle passes through.
 23. The exposureapparatus of claim 22, wherein the beam aperture is rectangular shapedand has a first dimension along a first axis and a second dimensionalalong a second axis, wherein the first dimension is greater than thesecond dimension.
 24. The exposure apparatus of claim 22, wherein theheat transfer frame includes a first surface that faces the pellicle anda second surface that faces the optical assembly, and wherein the beamaperture tapers from the second surface to the first surface.
 25. Theexposure apparatus of claim 21, wherein the heat transfer frame isconfigured to direct a transfer fluid into and through a transferpassageway formed within the heat transfer frame to control atemperature of the heat transfer frame.
 26. The exposure apparatus ofclaim 21, wherein the gap between the pellicle and the heat transferframe is filled with a fluid.
 27. The exposure apparatus of claim 26,wherein the fluid can include an inert gas.
 28. The exposure apparatusof claim 26, wherein the heat transfer frame includes at one or moreoutlets that are configured to supply the fluid to the gap.
 29. Theexposure apparatus of claim 27, wherein the one or more outlets face thepellicle.
 30. The exposure apparatus of claim 21, wherein the heattransfer frame includes a first surface that faces the pellicle, andwherein at least one conductive heat path is formed between the firstsurface of the heat transfer frame and the pellicle.
 31. The exposureapparatus of claim 21, wherein the gap between the heat transfer frameand the pellicle is less than five hundred micrometers.
 32. The exposureapparatus of claim 21, wherein the gap between the heat transfer frameand the pellicle is less than one hundred micrometers.
 33. The exposureapparatus of claim 21, wherein the heat transfer frame includes a firstsurface which faced to the pellicle, an emissivity coating is formed onthe first surface of the heat transfer frame.
 34. The exposure apparatusof claim 21, wherein the heat transfer frame including a temperaturesensor.
 35. The exposure apparatus of claim 21, wherein the heattransfer frame includes at least one outlet which supplies a gas to aspace between the pellicle and the heat transfer frame.
 36. The exposureapparatus of claim 35, wherein the heat transfer frame includes aplurality of outlets which supply the gas, the outlets surround a beamaperture where the EUV radiation from the illuminator passes through,and a reflected EUV radiation from the pattern surface of the reticlepasses through.
 37. The exposure apparatus of claim 21 wherein the heattransfer frame including a first frame member and a second frame memberthat are spaced apart to define a beam aperture where the EUV radiationfrom the illuminator passes through, and a reflected EUV radiation fromthe pattern surface of the reticle passes through.
 38. An exposuremethod for exposing a pattern from a pattern surface of a reticle to aworkpiece, the exposure method comprising: securing a pellicle to thereticle with the pellicle being spaced apart from the pattern surface ofthe reticle, illuminating the reticle through the pellicle with EUVradiation from an illuminator; forming a pattern image of the reticlewith the EUV radiation from the reticle using an optical assembly, atleast part of the optical assembly being positioned between the reticleand the workpiece; positioning a heat transfer frame between thepellicle and the optical assembly; controlling a temperature of thepellicle with a temperature controller by controlling a temperature ofthe heat transfer frame; and moving the reticle relative to the heattransfer frame while the EUV radiation irradiates the workpiece.